By SIMON KHOO

KUANTAN: Two women were among 15 partygoers arrested by the Pahang Religious Department for consuming liquor in public during an operation dubbed Ops Taubat.

Another 11 others were picked up for allegedly committing khalwat or close proximity during a two-hour raid on three nightspots around the town centre here just after midnight yesterday.

''When we switched on the lights, we found several of them to be in a drunken state with liquor bottles in their hands,'' said department enforcement chief Ahmad Raffli Abdul Malek.

''As a Muslim, this behaviour is unacceptable and goes against the Islamic teachings,'' he said.

Ahmad Raffli also said that the suspects, aged between 20 and 55, were expected to be charged under the Syariah laws once investigations were completed.

He said several of them had also lied about consuming alcohol but they failed the breathalyser test.

Ahmad Raffli said that those consuming alcohol faced a charge under Section 136 of Pahang Islamic Administration and Malay Customs Enactment, which carries a jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to RM5,000 and six strokes of the rotan, upon conviction.

For committing close proximity, the offenders could be charged under Section 145 (1) and Section 145 (2) of the same Act.

The offence carries a maximum fine of RM1,000 or six months' jail or both, if convicted.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 33, was ordered caned six times and fined RM5,000 by a court here in July last year after after she was caught drinking beer at a hotel.

The caning sentence has yet to be carried out on the mother of two.

simonkhoo@thestar.com.my

This article was first published in The Star/Asia News Network.